Meet the Author

The FermentedlyChallenged blog has been retired since the end of October 2016. It has been a great 9 year run. Thanks to all the readers and brewery staff for all your support in the past. I'm living in the Denver metro area and working in the Cable TV industry now. Cheers and enjoy beer responsibly. Follow along on social media - @ChipperDave on Twitter and on Facebook.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Today is National Margarita Day. It's a day Jimmy Buffet would love to celebrate. Margarita's are fine, but craft beer is even better! You could celebrate with both, but if you do - get a designated driver, m'kay? It's also George Washington's 281st birthday, so knock one back for him. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Friday, February 22nd, 2013.

Metro Denver

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project (Denver) - A few weeks ago Crooked Stave received 4 large oak foeders with an individual capacity of ~1600 gallons, which brings their total to 8 oak foeders in the Barrel Cellar. Additionally, they acquired 38 Whiskey barrels at the end of 2012 from Leopold Bros Distillery. Last year Crooked Stave produced ~383 barrels of beer, and sold 183 of those barrels. In 2013 they will be on track to produce 3,000 barrels and sell around 2,000 barrels. Crooked Stave is still running their taproom and production at the Barrel Cellar in Northwest Denver. They are currently rotating 4 different barrel aged wild beers and should have six on tap within a few weeks.

Black Shirt Brewing (Denver) - Black Shirt is open tonight from 5pm to 9pm. They'll have Texorado BBQ on site serving up some great food. They're serving their last keg of Red Porter tonight and will have these other brews available: Pale Red, BSB Red, Red Saison, Red IPA (Chinook), and Sour Mash Red Saison.Arvada Beer Company (Arvada) - Today ABC is offering up 2 beers on Nitro tap. Stop in to try their Double IPA (nitro) and their Irish Red (nitro). They've also tapped Engine 1 Pale Ale and have 9 other beers on tap. Stop in before the next snow hits! Don't forget - on Saturday from 12pm to 2pm the Colorado Craft Beer Show will be doing their radio show LIVE from ABC. Listen in at AM 760 Denver.

Hops & Pie (Denver) - On Saturday, February 23rd it's the next edition of the Littlest Big Beer Fest at Hops & Pie. This month featuring the beers of Firestone Walker. You can get flights and single pours starting at noon including: FW Anniversayr XVI, Walker's Reserve, Sucaba (Barley Wine), Hop Yard IPA, Valvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout and a firkin of Union Jack American IPA. The beers will be pouring all day while they last. Visit them at 3920 Tennyson Street in Denver, CO.

Denver Beer Company (Denver) - Tonight, Denver Off The Wagon will be debuting their Dubbel Entendre beer this afternoon at 4:30pm til 12am as part of their 2nd birthday celebration. This is a rich amber/copper colored beer with dark fruits in the aroma and a balanced malty body. It'll remind you of a brew a Belgian monk would make. In case you were still wondering, Saturday's Beer, Bacon & Coffee Fest at Denver Beer Co is now SOLD OUT! Hope you nabbed a ticket.

De Steeg Brewing (Denver) - Today they are tapping their new Winter Warmer, a big 9.7% ABV brew that's slightly sweet and with a touch of heat. Offered on both CO2 and Nitro taps. Open from 4-10pm tonight.

Boulder County

Avery Brewing (Boulder) - While they still aren't yet building at their new facility, Avery keeps expanding. The brewery reported the unloading of a big brand new fermenter off the truck today. More beer will be made in their real soon!

Oskar Blues (Longmont) - The folks over at Oskar Blues just put out a great new 3-minute video on the benefits of craft beer in a can. Check it out here below or on YouTube.

Northern Colorado

Big Beaver Brewing (Loveland) - The Blend of the Week is called Potent Pooch - a mix of Potent Peter IPA and Screw the Pooch Pale Ale. Today is also another edition of Free Beer Friday. Today's free 1/6th barrel is Bust-A-Nut Brown Ale. Free pints start pouring at 2pm for a half hour, then again at 3pm for another half hour, etc until it's gone. Big Beaver also recently purchased a new PA system and will be used for their Beaver Bluegrass Jams on Fridays starting around 8:30pm(ish). The Vise Squad (Fly Tying group) will be meeting on Tuesday, February 26th at 6pm - bring your vise or just visit if you just want to learn.

Verboten Brewing (Loveland) - New tastes coming to the taps at Verboten. Their Lemongrass Wit is back on tap today and their Blueberry Wheat is coming next week. That plus several other great regular brews. They are open from 3pm to 9pm today and 1pm - 9pm Saturday and 1pm - 7pm on Sunday.

The Mayor of Old Town (Ft. Collins) - Today between 3pm and 5pm it's their weekly F.A.C. You'll get to eat free pizza while you enjoy a beer. Colleen Glynn will be playing live music as well. Start your weekend off right!

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - Today Grimm Bros are tapping a special firkin of Spruce Master Thief at noon. The aroma will remind you of a walk through the trees. Get one and grab some grub from Chaulkboard Gourmet Express.

Crabtree Brewing (Greeley) - It's back! Eclipse - Belgo-style Black IPA - now on tap at Crabtree. They also have their Rebel Rye IPA and Serenity Amber Ale on tap as well. 8+ beers on tap tonight. Plus, if you're in need of some dinner tonight - the Orange Crunch truck will be on site at 4:30pm serving up some of the tastiest Philippine-style empanadas around.

Black Bottle Brewery (Ft. Collins) - Tonight at 8pm it's "Kill The Keg" night. For $10 you'll get a cup and can drink as much of the special Left Hand Brewery's Polestar Pilsner as you wish until the keg is killed. If pilsner isn't your thing, try one of several Black Bottle brews on tap. Live music will also be playing from Justin Lubbe. Free high fives available from the staff!

Pateros Creek Brewing (Ft. Collins) - Today is CSU Appreciation Day. Calebrate the Rams with $1 off pints all day for all current students and faculty - just bring in your CSU ID and prove you're 21+.

High Hops Brewery (Windsor) - Don't forget - today is the release of their new Windor's Wee Heavy brew. Live music from Ash Ganley at 6:00pm and food from Bedrock BBQ will be on site.

Southern Front Range

Trinity Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Coming up in a week on Saturday March 2nd at 11am - it's Trinity's First Saturday Firkin. Get $3 pints til it's gone. Then coming up on March 16th at 5pm they'll be tapping their Wee Banshee Irish Heather Ale release and celebrating with a St. Patty's Day party.

Bristol Brewing (Colorado Springs) - Saturday, February 23rd is the 9th Annual Firkin Rendezvous at Bristol. Tix still available $50 VIP or $35 General. Event starts at 1pm for VIP and 2pm for General admission. 25 breweries will be bringing some of their best firkin beers to sample.

Mountains and West

Telluride Brewing Co (Telluride) - Telluride Brewing has gone NASCAR! Look for the Telluride Brewing logo to be featured on the number 23 car driven by Robert Richardson Jr at the 32nd Annual DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway tomorrow, February 23rd. Telluride was offered a free (pro bono) sponsorship and they jumped at the chance! The taproom at Telluride Brewing will be featuring the race on their TV. Who says craft beer and car racing don't go together?

Elevation Beer Co (Poncha Springs) - For a limited time, you can get Elevation Beer Company's beers out of state via The Rare Beer Club. This offer won't last long, so tell your out of state friend about it. Beers include: Senorita Imperial Porter, Oil Man Imperial Stout, and Apis IV Quad. Details at www.beermonthclub.com. Sorry, their Signal de Botrange is already sold out.

Bars, Restaurants and Misc.

National Homebrew Competition - The American Homebrewers Association reminds you that registration for the National Homebrew Competition opens next week. The rules have changed slightly this year so read up. Registration opens on Tuesday, February 26th at 1pm MST. More info on the AHA website.

Live Music - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog. "Like" us and get even more soon after it happens. Thanks for helping us grow to over 1400+ "Likes" in 2013!

Colorado Beer News is published daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. Stop back here often for all the latest. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.